Night Dogs

There are two 1974 films that may have had an influence on Jerry Jacobson's short story “Night Dogs” - Macon County Line and Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Both of these films used what would later become one of the most common horror and suspense tropes, the concept of travelers stranded in a backwoods town with criminal lunatics. In films like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Wrong Turn (2003), Hills Have Eyes (1977), and Tourist Trap (1979), the trope is elevated to create a more visceral, violent presentation featuring cannibalism, sexual perversion, and slasher horror elements. Other times, like Macon County Line and Breakdown (1997), the concept relies more on psychological suspense. This is the realm where Jacobson presents “Night Dogs”. 

Elizabeth is driving the back roads of rural Florida with her husband, John, a successful accountant who is in need of revolutionary eye surgery that will restore his sight. After entering the town limits of Tranquil, population 585, a siren splits the night sky. The two find themselves pulled over by a police officer, a Deputy Sheriff named Stringer. After presenting her identification, Elizabeth is told that both of them are under arrest despite the lack of any evidence of wrongdoing. In a frightening setup, Stringer explains that his brother is the other deputy in town and that both of them work for their uncle, the small-town Sheriff. 

The couple is taken to a small jail cell in the back of a rundown gas station. Their car is hauled by a wrecker to a lot of junk cars nearby. Things aren't looking promising for Elizabeth and John. 

The author injects loads of suspense as these two brothers aggressively interview the couple about their professions, friends, and family lives. These criminal police officers are planning a violent end for the travelers. After the two leave the gas station, the couple manages to escape the cell only to find themselves questioning their surroundings in a Hellish house on the hill. The resident, an old woman in a wheelchair, provides some disturbing answers that enhance this highway survival yarn. 

“Night Dogs” was published in the August 1976 issue of Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine, a peak era that produced a lot of survival-horror and backwoods terror, none more disturbing than Deliverance (1972), based on James Dickey's 1970 novel. Author Jerry Jacobson was a mainstay for the mystery digests from 1965 through the mid-1980s. He appeared in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine and two paperback collections, Alfred Hitchcock Presents Stories to Be Read With the Door Locked and Funeral in Another Town. Based on the quality of “Night Dogs”, I need to read more of Jacobson's stories.

The Bounty Hunters

Frank Gruber (1904-1969) used his own name and pseudonyms and house names like Stephen Acre, Tom Gunn, Jackson Cole, and Ralph Powers to author numerous books and pulp shorts. He began his writing career in the early 20s and, as the pulp market evaporated, he became a contributor to the digest and mystery magazines like Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine. I tracked down one of his last stories, “The Bounty Hunters”, published a year before his death in the September 1968 issue of Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine. 

The story's locale is the rugged, wind-swept Mexican mountain country. A fugitive American named Halleran is making his way through the back country, looking to avoid lawmen. He finds another American on the trail, Langford, a nineteen or twenty-year-old man who has become too exhausted to continue on foot. Halleran assists the guy, and they manage to flag down a beat-up bus. The two are taken to a small village, San Jose del Mochis, where they meet up with two armed bounty hunters outside of a bar. 

The readers don't know that Halleran is a wanted man, but it's evident that he wants to stay clear of the two gunmen. However, when he sees Langford accosted by the men, he intervenes. Halleran learns that Langford is wanted for murder in Alabama, but that he would likely be acquitted in court. The man he is suspected of murdering died during a fist-fight, one that ended with him falling and hitting his head on a table. But the man's father has hired the two gunmen to bring Langford in dead or alive. The wrench in the gears is Langford's lover, a woman who is desperate to free Langford. She convinces Halleran to trail the bounty hunters and hopefully, overtake the two. Halleran has personal reasons for wanting to help Langford, but that's a convenient twist that enhances the story's payoff. The last line brilliantly closes out the story and circles back to Halleran's crime.

Again, this is one of a handful of stories Gruber wrote right before his death. He proved he still had the tale to tell, and “The Bounty Hunters” is an imaginative, entertaining man-on-the-run short. Highly recommended.

Hell Command

We love Clifton Adams around these parts, so I'm always browsing through book stores, online databases, and reprint houses to learn more about his life and literary works. I found an online copy of the Oct 1950 issue of Adventure. I remember reading and reviewing a John D. MacDonald boxing story, “Too Early to Tell”, from this very issue. The story right before that one is a cavalry-and-Apache western novella by Adams titled Hell Command.

Adams sets this rowdy tale during the Indian Wars of the Arizona Territory. The setup has an exhausted U.S. Cavalry D Troop arriving at Carter's Wells, a former military outpost that now functions as a way station. The troops are now led by an enlisted man named Kirkpatrick, who is serving as an interim Senior Sergeant due to the prior Lieutenant being killed in a skirmish with a Cheyenne hunting party. Kirkpatrick's aid on this journey is Martin Swain, a hired scout. 

At Carter's Wells, the men find wreckage and bodies, evidence of a bloody battle waged with Apaches. Among the destruction are three survivors, two of whom are relatives of the former outpost's commandant. The other woman is a fierce, rugged widow named Reba Coulter, who single-handedly killed waves of Apache warriors with an Enfield rifle. Coulter reveals her tragic backstory to Swain, details which will pay dividends as the novella reaches its conclusion.

Hell Command's plot sets these weary soldiers on a collision course with Choko, an Apache military leader who wants to kill the surviving women. In a meeting, the Apache warriors agree they will allow the troops to pass unharmed if they will release the women to them. This sets up a unique and perilous situation. Roughly 15 exhausted men against 100 Apache warriors or safe passage with the death and torture of the women at the Apache's hands. Considering this is a story found in the pages of Adventure, you know which choice Swain and Kirkpatrick make. But they have a surprise for the Apache Nation.

Adams can write a phone book, and I would be completely invested. He's an imaginative storyteller of the highest caliber, and this novella showcases that ability. Adams wrote crime-fiction stories and novels, which are all fantastic, but he really found his mark within the western confines. He's able to bend and reshape the traditional western by providing dynamic characterization, deep-seated plots, and multiple character studies while creating emotional dramas that easily draw the reader in. Hell Command is simply fantastic, and I urge you to read the story HERE.

Tunnel Through Time

Paul W. Fairman (1909-1977) authored novels under his own name, as well as pseudonyms like Ivar Jorgensen, Paulette Warren, and F.W. Paul. Using outlines created by Lester del Rey (real name Leonard Knapp), Fairman wrote seven science-fiction novels using del Rey's byline. One of these, a YA time travel adventure titled Tunnel Through Time, was originally published in hardcover by Westminster Press in 1966. It has been reprinted dozens of times in paperback, including a 1967 Scholastic paperback with illustrations by Hal Frenck. 

Bob Miller is 17-years old when his father, a scientist named Bob, invents a time machine. As one can imagine from the book's title, it is a tunnel of sorts, a large ring suspended in a lab. However, in the opening pages, Sam has yet to attempt time travel. After a discussion with Doc Tom, a paleontologist, the duo agrees that the doctor should be the first to go. The destination is the Mesozoic period, ripe with dinosaurs, sea serpents, and active volcanoes. Perfect!

After Doc successfully leaps through time, Bob, Sam, and Doc's son Peter realize they have effectively lost him. Fearing the worst, Sam allows his son and Peter to enter the tunnel to locate the Doc and bring the trio back home. Immediately, they realize they are miles from Doc's location due to the wonky GPS function. The two, initially rivals, must work together to overcome adversity to reach the Doc. After a second jaunt through time, the duo arrives in the Ice Age. Here they find human civilization and are swept up in a clash between warring tribes. Central to the plot is solving the problem of returning to the present while corresponding through letters with Sam. 

Tunnel Through Time was a fun read that certainly should appeal to all ages. As a YA book, I was surprised by the levels of violence. There are the obligatory stabbings, beatings, and shootings that would populate any action-adventure adult novel, but seems misplaced in this casual YA adventure. The narrative is fast-paced, the action is intense, and the overall time-travel technical nuances don't drown the storytelling. Recommended reading!

Get the book HERE. 

Piper & Quinn - Deadly Nightcap

I was sort of lukewarm on Death Counts Three, a 1954 British novel authored by Leopold Horace Ognall, primarily known by his pseudonyms Harry Carmichael and Hartley Howard. That book starred an insurance investigator named John Piper. Despite the amazing cover, promising double-barreled action, the narrative was a cozy, dry whodunit that paid homage to the Golden Age of Detective-Fiction. Knowing what to expect, I took another chance on the John Piper character and read the 1953 installment Deadly Nightcap. Did the reading experience improve?

In researching the series a little more, I realize that this really could be considered the Piper & Quinn series. I edited my original review for Death Counts Three to note the change in the series from John Piper to simply Piper & Quinn. The reason is that Piper's investigative contact, a whimsical journalist named Quinn, appears throughout the series as a main character, sharing the spotlight with Piper. The Thrilling Detective site lists four books starring John Piper solely, three Quinn novels and a multitude of Piper & Quinn novels. The easiest way for a simpleton like me to organize this mess is to simply throw it all under the same series title, thus Piper & Quinn it is. Honestly, I don't even know if anyone even reads these reviews or cares one iota about my thoughts of an obscure 1950s British whodunit. But the rock must be pushed up the hill, so Sisyphus, I will remain.

John Piper, a freelance investigator, is hired by the Anglo-Continental Insurance Company to look into the poisoning death of Esther Payne, the wife of a bestselling author named Christopher. The company stands to lose ten thousand pounds if the death is ruled a homicide. However, if the rich spouse offed herself, the benefit claim can be rejected using the suicide clause. Simple, right? Not so fast.

Piper and Quinn dig into the couple's lifestyles – their friends, lovers, servants, and doctors. That last one is the key to the whole thing – a mysterious Dr. Falkenheim. His medical ethics come under fire when he's frequently questioned about his improper relationship with the victim. There are hints that the good doctor and Esther were doing the nasty, which may have led to the doctor attempting to poison Christopher, but accidentally killing his lover. But, there are layers, including a woman named Lynne who is linked to Christopher romantically. Could she have killed Esther in an attempt to control Christopher? When another similar death occurs, there's cause for alarm. 

Deadly Nightcap was a drastic improvement from Death Counts Three. Sky level, this seems like a simple whodunit with the typical flair for skeletons in the closet, scorned lovers, jealous wives, and the use of the 'ole deadly medicine cabinet. However, the author is a little too clever to fall victim to the standard formula. He injects an interesting locked-room mystery as a second competing plot to the original investigation. 

Piper's tenacity, determination, and ability to rule out the most obvious police conclusions are great improvements to the characterization. His seriousness – steadfast, smart, honest, polite – is balanced by Quinn, a rather unruly newspaper reporter who's fond of cutting corners, a little dishonesty, and a penchant for finding humor in every aspect of the investigation. It's a great tandem that makes the duo lively and entertaining while not sacrificing the importance of the investigation.

Deadly Nightcap is an absolute winner and has injected a great deal of confidence that this series shouldn't be ignored. I'm on board for more Piper & Quinn, and you should be as well. Get the book HERE.  

Audio Book Exclusive - Escape from Uganda's Black Hole

"Escape from Uganda's Black Hole" was published in the October 1973 issue of Adam, an Australian adult magazine. The author was listed as Al Porto, but the identity of the writer is unknown. 

Uganda is collapsing into chaos, and American construction boss Jack finds himself trapped in the middle of a deadly political nightmare. When Idi Amin’s soldiers accuse him of being a spy, Jack’s official government credentials offer little protection against torture, imprisonment, and a firing squad.

Alongside his trusted guide, Jimmy Hare, Jack must survive a brutal military roundup that sweeps up foreigners, missionaries, and innocent civilians. Imprisoned in a sweltering Ugandan jail, surrounded by violence and despair, escape seems impossible. But when desperation gives way to ingenuity, Jack and his fellow prisoners launch a daring breakout into the darkness.

In a country where the wrong passport can get you killed, freedom is the only way out.

Stream below or on our YouTube channel HERE.

Come On and Fight!

Unfortunately, there isn't a lot known about writer Louis Chilton Goldsmith (1898-1943). According to the Fiction Mag Index, he was born in Caldwell, Idaho, served as a Major in the Air Transport Command, and is buried in Cambridge, England. He contributed stories and novels to pulp magazines like Wings, Detective Tales, and Air Stories. By the late 1930s, Goldsmith had elevated to adventure magazines like Argosy and Adventure. My only experience with the writer thus far is a late career entry in the May 1942 issue of Adventure. It's an Alaskan crime-fiction novelette titled “Come On and Fight!” 

Fred Meade is a 26-year-old bush pilot learning to fly in Alaska. He has a bum leg due to an old injury that prevented him from entering the war effort. His mentor is an old, hardened pilot named Brad Pace, a wild drinker and gambler who lost a fortune investing in mining claims. He is teaching Fred the intricacies of flying in Alaska's harsh conditions, while also instilling in the young man the idea of learning to like a good fight. 

Years ago, Pace and a scheming, dishonest businessman named Rader were partners in an air freight business. They split after Pace refused to participate in shady dealings. In a wild night of drinking, Rader's henchman is shot and killed. Pace is arrested for the murder, but doesn't recall killing anyone. 

Surprisingly, the author doesn't paint himself into a corner with a typical fugitive-on-the-run narrative, nor does the plot dip into the overused formula of the amateur sleuth outwitting the police to save his friend. Instead, a storyline evolves concerning a Native American couple and their promising mining claim. Rader and his enforcers are out to claim-jump, a popular criminal trope of western storytelling. After another body is discovered, evidence points to several suspects who may be killing miners. 

This novelette had so many enticing plots woven into the fabric of this high-adventure tale. Meade and Pace both make for admirable, witty characters that naturally fight injustice and prop up the locals to remain independent from a crooked credit system. The mystery and whodunit is central to the plot, but it's the colorful characters that really enhance the storytelling. They reflect a unique time and place in American history. It is these types of stories that remind me of why I love the vintage 20th-century pulps and glossy magazines – excellent writers with mesmerizing imaginations. 

Read the story for yourself HERE.

The Big Sea

I really enjoyed reading Cold Hazard, a 1955 British novel authored by Richard Armstrong (1903-1986). It was a harrowing shipwreck story containing all of the survival bitterness, harsh locale, and intense rescues that help shape a terrific nautical fiction work. Armstrong's writing style is permeated with realism, a trait fueled by his two decades of work with the Merchant Service. I own several of the author's works and wanted to revisit icy shores again. I chose to read his 1964 novel The Big Sea, originally published in hardcover by David McKay Company, Inc. 

Two close friends, young sailing apprentices named Jonty and Dave, are part of the experienced crew of the SS Kariba, an aging cargo ship that is making its final voyage. The farewell trip takes the men and boat through a severe storm in the North Atlantic, an area battered by freezing temperatures, piercing rain, and massive gales. When the Kariba suffers a severe fracture across her deck plates, she takes on significant water in the holds. This leads to equipment failure, the loss of steering, engines, and an eventual complete blackout. 

Thankfully, the crew is able to flag down a nearby vessel, the Juba, and relocate most of the crew. From the safety of this rescue vessel, Dave watches as the Kariba lists precariously as it begins sinking into the ocean's deep fathoms. But to his horror, he realizes that Jonty is still on board the Kariba, experiencing the horrors of the sinking ship and an icy drowning. In a panic, the crew of the Juba attempts to rescue Jonty, but the momentum of the sinking ship is now too risky for a close interaction. From afar, the Juba's crew painstakingly exhaust their long-distance efforts to communicate and assist Jonty. 

Maritime peril, inevitable disaster, and the technical nuances of ocean survival have quickly become one of my favorite formulas of high-adventure and nautical fiction. In his The Big Sea, Armstrong uses his narrative to emotionally connect the sailor with the ship, not as much as a physical bond, but more of a connection to the ship's working spirit. This fine telling of a ship's final days showcases the investment the crew has, and their thoughts about the craft's journey ending either in a junked scrapyard or a watery grave. The tragic fate of the ship – a failing, aged vessel – represents the old working sailor, equally facing either death on the open seas or at a rest home. 

If you love this sort of nautical-adventure storytelling, then The Big Sea will surely be a wonderful reading experience. Get the book HERE.  

Audio Book Exclusive - Night Visit

"Night Visit" is a short story originally published in the October 1976 issue of the Australian adult magazine Adam. The author remains unknown, though the story was published under the house name Grant Glastonbury.

When four armed men invade the home of Vietnam veteran Jeff and his wife, Julie, a quiet night erupts into a brutal fight for survival. Outnumbered and trapped in his own home, Jeff is forced to draw upon the combat instincts he thought he had left behind on the battlefield.

What follows is a relentless game of cat and mouse, as Jeff uses hardened battle tactics, quick thinking, and sheer desperation to turn his home into a warzone. Intense combat, close-quarters action, and a desperate struggle for survival make Night Visit a lean, explosive piece of 1970s pulp fiction.

The Devil's Mansion

Robert Burkhardt and his wife Eve authored stories and novels in the early 20th century. Jointly, they used pseudonyms like Adam Bliss, Rob Eden, and Rex Jardin to pen mysteries and crime fiction. Originally, Robert worked as a Hollywood publicist and a newspaper columnist before becoming a full-time novelist with his wife. At least four of their novels were adapted into film adaptations in the 1930s. My only experience with the authors is The Devil's Mansion, originally published in 1931 by Walter J. Black. My version is the 1966 Paperback Library reprint, which oddly mentions nothing about the earlier publication. The cover art is by George Ziel.

In the opening chapter, a man named Rodman is driving his roadster through a violent storm in the Western Canadian Rockies. He was misdirected out of Montrose on his way to a meeting and became stranded in a ditch when his car skidded out of control. This is the perfect setup for Rodman to find an old Victorian-style mansion in the woods. 

Walking up to the front door, Rodman is met by a mute woman who urgently insists that Rodman immediately leave. But the poor weather conditions provoke Rodman to barge through the front door, a poor choice compromised by a vicious attack dog and a strange old woman wearing a live chameleon around her neck. Despite Rodman's best attempts to seek shelter for the night, the old woman and dog force Rodman back into the harsh conditions. He eventually meets up with a mechanic, and they rescue his car. Due to the damages Rodman is stuck in this weird little town for a few days. 

Switching gears, Rodman and the mechanic help a young woman named Janet. She's just been hired by the old woman to stay in the mansion as a caretaker. Rodman, based on his fears of the old woman and dog, urges Janet to return to the bus stop and forget this mansion ever existed. But she's vigilant and wants to work, so Rodman and the mechanic give her a lift to the mansion. On the way over, the mechanic informs Janet of the mysterious history of the mansion and the former resident. Apparently, a young woman went missing there a few months before Janet's arrival.

The bulk of the book takes place from the perspective of Janet. We are privy to her thoughts and actions as she adjusts to her new life in this terrible place. The old woman instructs Janet that she's now a prisoner in the home. She can never leave, an order reinforced by the killer Cujo-like hound of Hell. The mute woman helps Janet with some cautionary advice and explains that she is a prisoner as well. But who's the warden? It's hinted throughout – and the book's title – that Satan himself lives within the mansion. When Janet tries to explore – limited by the dog – she hears voices coming from various rooms, macabre piano music at night, and a woman's face peering out of an attic window.

Needless to say, The Devil's Mansion is downright spooky and unsettling. Despite its 1931 original publication, the authors take some liberties with descriptions of violent altercations in the home, possible incest, and some chilling domestic abuse that recalled the best of V.C. Andrews. For 160 pages, this novel may have been the best gothic-suspense book I've ever read. Then we receive the grand reveal from the authors, the identity of who – or what – is ruling this terrifying structure. I guess that the writers simply ran out of time, had to meet a deadline, and came up with one of the laziest, most uninspired reveals in fiction history. I couldn't believe how this book ended. For that very reason, I can't recommend reading this. Color me extremely disappointed. 

Death Row

Freida McFadden’s (real name Sara Cohen) Death Row is a terrific little psychological thriller that demonstrates how much mischief a talented author can pack into 74 pages.

Talia Kemper is sitting on death row, convicted of arranging the murder of her husband, Noel. Talia insists she is innocent. More importantly, she had an alibi. She wasn’t anywhere near her husband when he was killed. The courts haven’t been persuaded, her appeals are running out, and her execution is approaching.

Then Talia sees someone at the prison who shouldn’t be there: Her husband.

And that’s about all you should know before reading this one.

The most interesting element of Death Row is McFadden’s use of the unreliable narrator. Talia is telling us her own story, and initially, we have little reason not to accept her version of events. But McFadden gradually introduces details that make us question not only Talia’s honesty, but her interpretation of what is happening around her. There is an important distinction between a narrator who lies to the reader and a narrator who may not fully understand her own circumstances. McFadden has a lot of fun playing in that space.

The story jumps between Talia’s life before Noel’s death and her increasingly desperate situation on death row. With each new piece of information, our understanding of the earlier chapters changes a little. Then it changes a lot.

McFadden is famous for twists, and Death Row certainly delivers them. The impressive part isn’t simply that the story contains surprises. It’s that the surprises keep forcing you to revise the theory you formed ten pages earlier. Just when you think you’ve finally figured out what kind of story you’re reading, McFadden gives you another reason to reconsider it.

The final stretch gets particularly strange, and I mean that as a compliment. Some readers will undoubtedly debate exactly how the ending should be interpreted. I suspect that’s intentional. McFadden leaves just enough uncertainty behind to keep Death Row rattling around in your head after you’ve finished it.

This isn’t a deep character study, nor is it trying to be. It’s a 74-page Amazon Original designed to grab the reader immediately, create an impossible situation, and spend the remaining pages messing with our assumptions. Mission accomplished.

Death Row is short, fast, clever and satisfyingly devious. If you enjoy unreliable narrators and stories where every new revelation changes your understanding of what came before, this one is an easy recommendation. Get it HERE.

Kioga #01 - Hawk of the Wilderness

William L. Chester (1907-1971) served in the Ski Troops at Camp Hale, Colorado, during World War II. He was also employed as a skate instructor, a real estate agent, and a hospital administrator. He's best remembered for the four serials he authored for Blue Book Magazine. These stories star Kioga, the Snow Hawk, an orphaned white boy coming-of-age in the bitter Arctic. The first serial, Hawk of the Wilderness, was published between April and October 1935, then later collected as a hardcover novel in 1936 and later as Ace and DAW paperbacks (as both Hawk of the Wilderness and Kioga of the Wilderness). It was also adapted into a 12-episode film serial in 1938, later condensed and re-titled Lost Island of Kioga.

Chester conjures Edgar Rice Burroughs in this “re-imagining” of Tarzan of the Apes for his telling of this frosty hero. The tale begins with a doctor named Lincoln Rand aboard a ship in the waters of the North Pacific Ocean, just south of the Bering Sea near the Aleutian Islands. Rand is an adventurer, a former military officer, and a humanitarian. Along with his wife Helena and Native American friend Mokuyi, Rand journeys into these northern, far-flung lands to bring medicine, education, and culture to the natives. Unfortunately, the little vessel becomes grounded in a labyrinth of rocky channels in what may be Siberia (my guess). 

In this inhospitable land, the three become stranded, and then later introduced to the natives they were seeking. Through months of harrowing survival and a new way of life, Helena becomes pregnant. Just as she gives birth to the couple's son, Kioga, their tribe is attacked by a band of rival natives. Kioga's parents are killed, and he's taken in by a tribal leader and his wife and raised as their native son. But childhood is rough for Kioga as he's a white boy living in this hostile tribe. 

Burroughs concepts and ideas are injected into the narrative as Kioga becomes a forest warrior, scampering deeper into the land's interior to explore the terrain, wildlife, and coastal dangers. He finds some artifacts and teachings from his parents and begins to read and understand the English language (much like Tarzan did) and befriends a pack of bears. At one point, Kioga is adopted by a motherly bear and joins the pack as a young cub. His exploits fighting beasts and ascending to this “king of the forest” persona is a main plot development of the book's first half. 

In the book's second half, Kioga grows into a young man and becomes a tribal chief. His need to explore and engage in combat still leads him on adventures despite delegating the hunting and warring roles to his tribesmen. As he treks further north, he stumbles upon a shipwreck. Here he meets pirates, a warring clan, and a beautiful woman named Beth. Kioga agrees to help guide the group but is soon thrust into a life-and-death pursuit as the pirates desert the group and hunt Kioga, Beth, and her family through the icy wastelands. The second-half is packed with frosty excitement as Kioga battles pursuing warriors, fights with rival natives, and attempts to keep the small band alive as winter sets in. The elements, hunger, and desperate need to find shelter creates several exciting storylines that blend the action with a riveting survival yarn. 

Despite the comparisons to Tarzan (and the clones like Ki-Gor and The White Savage), Kioga of the Wilderness is an absolute must-read if you love this type of outdoor escapism. The rugged winters, harsh climate, and the brutal plight to find warm shelter recalled some of the best cornerstone high-adventure writers like Hammond Innes and Alistair MacLean. There's also a bit of nautical adventure as Kioga sails the seas. Chester even throws in a brief gangster vibe as Kioga attempts to become civilized in New York City while fighting ruffians and criminal networks. It's a diverse, sprawling epic that does so much in so little time. Chester is a great writer and injects a sense of gritty realism onto every page. The result is a fantastic adventure story worth its weight in gold. You have to read this one! Get the book HERE.